Donnell Vista: Sonora Pass
California High Sierra is promoting the short Donnell Vista trail at Sonora Pass for striking overlooks of the Stanislaus River Canyon and surrounding peaks — an easy, high‑reward stop if you’re road‑tripping the High Sierra. (x.com) The tip is getting social traction as a quick, scenic outing option. (x.com)
California High Sierra’s travel site ran a dedicated Donnell Vista piece on December 10, 2025, naming the overlook among must-see High Sierra viewpoints along Highway 108. (californiahighsierra.com). (californiahighsierra.com) The U.S. Forest Service describes Donnell Vista as a quarter‑mile paved interpretive loop that leads to a newly improved overlook of the Middle Fork Stanislaus River Canyon and Donnell Reservoir. (fs.usda.gov). (fs.usda.gov) Trail guides list the loop at roughly 0.25–0.5 miles with only about 25–30 feet of elevation change and note free parking, picnic tables and restroom facilities at the trailhead. (komoot.com; alltrails.com). (komoot.com) Donnell Vista sits at about 6,299 feet above sea level and is located on Hwy 108 approximately 18 miles east of Pinecrest, making it a roadside stop for east‑west High Sierra travelers. (anyplaceamerica.com; visittuolumne.com). (anyplaceamerica.com) Highway 108/Sonora Pass is subject to a seasonal winter closure enforced by Caltrans (most recently closed Dec. 26, 2025), and Caltrans began spring snow‑removal operations for Sonora Pass on March 23, 2026 to reopen the route for road‑trippers. (dot.ca.gov; mymotherlode.com). (dot.ca.gov) The overlook’s panorama also shows landscape scars from the 2018 Donnell Fire — a human‑caused blaze that burned roughly 36,450 acres, destroyed the Dardanelle Resort and closed highway and forest access during the incident. (fire.ca.gov; wikipedia.org). (fire.ca.gov)
